1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a still image reproduction apparatus and, more particularly, to an apparatus for reproducing a still image recorded on a disk.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional electronic equipment such as a still picture, video disk reproduction apparatus and its editing apparatus, a desk top input device for allowing an operator to designate a mode is arranged separately from the equipment body. The operator depresses, e.g., an up or down switch arranged on an operation panel of the operation input device or with keys enters a track number of a recording track for a desired still image. Thereafter, a still image signal recorded in the designated recording track on the video disk is reproduced or edited.
In the electronic equipment of the type described above, if the operator can designate an operation mode for successively switching a plurality of still images at a desired timing and successively displaying the still images (this mode is referred to as a successive reproduction mode), the operator can conveniently and successively watch the images for reproduction or editing as if the operator is turning the pages of a book.
In practice, the successive reproduction mode can be utilized in the following cases. First, after one still image is watched for a long period of time, this still image is then switched to another still image. Alternatively, the still images are initially switched at short intervals of time and the switching rate is gradually decreased to search for a desired still image.
If the operator can selectively change the image switching rate, the number of images subjected to switching can be roughly counted, thus providing a convenient operation input device.
Such an operation element is exemplified by a jog dial as a rotary operation element for controlling the feed rate of the images by the rotational speed of the dial in a conventional video tape recorder or the like. This conventional rotary operation element may be used in a still video reproduction apparatus.
However, when the images are switched at high speed, the display time per image is shortened and the next image is displayed before the operator identifies the previous still image.
Unlike movie images, two adjacent still images do not often have any correlation between them. In this case, it is very difficult for the operator to visually recognize each still image within a very short display time.